After a rough few months for the Rockies, we the staff at Purple Row have identified the need to remind our valued community members (and we value you very highly, thanks for reading!) of certain posting guidelines that, let's be honest, have not been followed by a large chunk of posters, particularly in recent game threads. Now seems as good a time as any to remind everyone what the ground rules are at Purple Row
Look -- I get it; the team for which we root hasn't exactly been pleasant to watch over the past few months. Some level of pessimism and negativity is warranted. But, like I've always said -- be creative in your doom-and-gloom; don't just come into game threads, declare the game over in the first inning when the Rockies give up a run, and continue to rehash the same mundane and cliche drivel over and over again. Nobody likes that.
Taken directly from this site's Rules and Regulations:
- We do not like to view incessant negativity in the comments. It is unnecessary to repeatedly say the Rockies lost the game when it is only the second inning. A game (usually) ends when 27 outs have been completed. The Rockies can win. Incessant negativity can result in a warning and escalate to a banning if need be. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the Rockies.
- Tell us the Rockies have lost, but one comment is enough. Tough luck if you don't read this, because when you signed up you were told to read this, and this same message appears in the box when you sign up. Sorry, you can't complain about this one.
Just as incessant negativity has been a problem, so has the treatment of those posters -- and others -- by certain other community members and/or cliques of community members. That isn't acceptable either. Everyone needs to treat others with respect here. Otherwise, what good are we even doing? See the golden rule below.
Like rampant negativity, language has become a problem -- something I never, ever thought I'd say about Purple Row. Using the spoiler bar or asterisks to obscure the naughty letters is not acceptable either. We all know what you mean and it's not okay.
While enforcement of this creed has been slack for a little while, recent threads have ensured that this rule will be enforced strictly by moderators for the foreseeable future. We pride ourselves on being a place where intelligent, civil discourse can take place between Rockies fans who don't always agree - and this is a step to ensure that Purple Row continues to be that place.
Remember the Golden Rule of Purple Row: Practice Civil Discourse
I encourage you to read the Rules and Regulations (as well as the latest Welcome to Purple Row piece) for a reminder on how things should operate within our community.
Here are some particularly relevant excerpts, taken from the golden rule of practicing civil discourse:
- This means no trolling, no personal attacks, no discussing religion or politics. They may seem like different things, but those latter topics tend to cause the former two. They're best left to other sites.
- Just to make this clear, the level of discourse practiced on this site is a source of pride for us. There will be zero tolerance for asinine comments. We are not talking about writing, "Aaron Miles was the greatest Rockie ever!" As stupid as that may be to write, it's your opinion. There's a problem when you start making ad hominem attacks against a baseball player or a member of the community.
- Furthermore, if you feel like you're getting snarked at in replies, be the bigger person and just type "z". You'll move right past that comment and it's all over.
- Additionally, if you feel there's something above and beyond typical disagreement, please notify a moderator ASAP. We appreciate some self-moderation of our community, but sometimes you gotta call in the big guns.
To reiterate: our community is one of which I've always been proud. We have very intelligent commenters who possess a wide array of interests, and I think I can speak for everyone when I say that our conversations are (almost) always interesting. But, those conversations need to be of a more positive nature, and when a dissenting opinion is injected, that opinion needs to be respected. And, the bullying ... the bullying needs to stop immediately.
If you have any questions or need clarification about these policies, don't hesitate to email me at jtaberle@gmail.com.
Be better. It will make for a more enjoyable experience for all of us.